Open Magazine touts Modi's 'Triumph of the Will'

One of India's English-language magazines has stirred controversy online with its choice of words. On Saturday, OPEN Magazine debuted the cover of its latest issue, featuring newly-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the title "Triumph of the Will".

Netizens were quick to comment on the magazine's title choice. Across social media, some used it to criticise Mr. Modi's now-ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), drawing a connection between the cover title and the 1935 Nazi propaganda filmTriumph des Willens.

please explain why you would choose to appropriate the title of a well known Nazi propaganda film from 1935. Considering the magazine's current pro-Modi stance I fear it is not meant to be ironic at all. It is in extremely poor taste.Stefan Kaye

in poor taste..reference to a Nazi propaganda film while featuring the democratic triumph of Modi is distasteful. Expected better from Mr Prasannarajan...:-(Prasanna Mahpatra

@Openthemag "Triumph of the Will" with Modi is a very cheap attempt open mag if you want attract readers.Gaurav Sonal

Are you kidding open magazine. After publishing against Modi forever you picked today for a triumph story.novita singh

Others expressed confusion as to whether OPEN Magazine's publishers were even aware of the connection:

@ZoyaMohyuddin @Arsalan2u Open is believed to be a pro Modi publication so people surmise the art dept may not have known about Nazi film.Mirza Waheed

That Open cover thing is surely too big to be a simple coincidence. Is the magazine super trolling Modi?Shoaib Daniyal

Does Open Magazine, which is now unabashedly pro-Modi, know something we don't, or was their cover design a genuine error? #TriumphOfTheWillPierre Fitter